10/02/2026
LONDON — Research from LexisNexis® Risk Solutions takes a deeper look into how cybercriminals operate using the dark web in its latest report, Fraud for Sale: Untangling the Dark Web, part of the annual Global State of Fraud report. The insights stem from a proprietary study of the dark web commissioned in 2025.
Key findings
The study concludes that the dark web facilitates large-scale criminality by making it easy for anyone with sufficient IT skills to obtain the knowledge and tools to defraud individuals and businesses. Regulators and law enforcement repeatedly close down illicit marketplaces on the dark web only for replacements to spring up to meet the unwavering demands of the criminal underworld.
“The hidden nature of the dark web has appealed to the criminal underworld for more than a decade, arming and sheltering fraudsters from detection,” said Kimberly Sutherland, global head of fraud and identity, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “Now we can shed new light, not only on what cybercriminals do on the dark web, but on the fraud controls they are least able to bypass. Fraudster feedback tells us exactly what interferes most with their criminal exploits: real-time liveness checks, account activity, phone and email analysis and device fingerprinting, to name a few.”
The AI frustrating fraudsters
The use of AI and deepfakes in fraud is well documented. Yet, the report uncovers dark web chat forums awash with users venting their frustration with the latest AI-driven deepfake detection systems employed by banks and others that can scan for blood flow and micro muscle movements. Such technology appears to present specific hurdles for would-be fraudsters, with one commenting “There is no bypass.” The research also found related forums involving some imaginative attempts to circumvent checks, such as with latex masks.
Several marketplaces were found selling established email accounts and devices capable of passing basic fraud checks. Many also offer ‘fraud-ready’ bank accounts supplied with login details and pre-completed identity checks.
Sutherland continued, “Our research reveals the dark web to be a de-facto fraud superstore giving bad actors easy access to the knowledge and tools to conduct all manner of criminal acts. With these tools they can apply for bank accounts, overdrafts and credit, set up retail accounts and make purchases without fear of consequences.
“It’s also worrying that many of the solicitations come complete with tutorial videos, showing ‘newbie’ scammers how it’s done, thereby creating a new cottage industry of amateur fraudsters across the globe. The good news is that we are not powerless against cybercriminals. As quickly as they adopt new technology it is increasingly apparent how those same AI innovations can thwart their activities.”
No safe harbor for cybercriminals
In an ironic twist, the study also finds the dark web is no safe haven for criminals. Exit scams are rife, where dark web marketplace administrators abruptly cease trading, taking customers’ funds with them. This has led some marketplaces to call out bad behavior, barring users and banning the sale of certain items known to be worthless, to reassure customers. As a consequence, the report found some evidence of alternative, easier access versions of these dark web marketplaces selling similar products cropping up on mainstream popular social platforms.
Learn more about emerging fraud trends by downloading the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Global State of Fraud and Identity Report 2026.
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses across multiple industries and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions and RELX.
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